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Wong Kar-Wai Weekend
Union Theatre to show three of director’s many works
By Zachary Hoeppner
Wong Kar-Wai, the acclaimed director from Shanghai, will be honored this weekend (Oct. 9-12) with free showings of a triad of his latest works Thursday through Sunday at the UWM Union Theatre.
Sporting a dynamite cast including Natalie Portman, Judd Law, Norah Jones, Rachel Weisz and David Strathairn, “My Blueberry Nights” (2008) makes its Milwaukee premiere Oct. 10 at 9 p.m.
With his first English-language film, Wong Kar-Wai takes the great American road trip and gives it a quirky spin. It is an accessible tale of forlorn romance and the desire to start anew, about the intersections of people living in separate worlds and a basic sense of humanity that ties them together. “My Blueberry Nights” showcases the director’s uncanny ability to capture the most basic and powerful desires of humanity within the scope of his lens.
Kar-Wai’s adventure follows Elizabeth on her sojourn, cataloging thousands of miles as she wanders city to city, played by singer, Norah Jones, the talented progeny of sitar guru Ravi Shankar, in her first lead role to date.
“There is a need for all of us to have a place to hide or to store certain memories, thoughts, impulses, hopes and dreams,” wrote Kar-Wai. “These are a part of our lives that we can’t resolve… but at the same time we are afraid to jettison them.”
“My Blueberry Nights” reflects this sentiment with a lens for urban setting, presenting us with a diner, a dive bar, a casino, a pastry shop, cracked and empty streets, and elevated trains.
Also making the lineup this weekend are “2046” (2005) and “In the Mood for Love” (2000), which has garnered much respect for its visual appeal, winning at Cannes Film Festival the Technical Achievement Award for Best Cinematography and Editing.
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